Bank Robbers of the Great Depression in the 1930s | The Classroom | Synonym Bank Robbers of the Great Depression in the 1930s by Karen Clark Many bank robbers gained noteriety during the Great Depression. Related Articles What Happened to Howard Carter After His Discovery of King Tuts Tomb? Such was the fame of Depression-era bandits that they remain subjects of movies and books to this day. At a time when the average Joe was struggling to pay for basic necessities, outlaws were taking what they couldn't get honestly. For most of the 1930s, Public Enemy Number One was usually a bank robber. An Infamous Gang The Dillinger Gang consisted of an infamous bunch of outlaws that, besides John Dillinger, at various times included Baby Face Nelson, Homer Van Meter and John "Red" Hamilton. Starting in the summer of 1933, they stole about $300,000 from banks in five states across the Midwest. Dillinger quickly found himself at the top of the FBI's Public Enemies, with the rest of his gang making up most of the remaining top 10.

He met his death at the hands of FBI gunmen outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago in 1934. A Notorious Partnership Starting in 1932, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow committed a string of bank, gas station and convenience store robberies from Louisiana to as far west as New Mexico. They also killed several people along the way, including civilians and law enforcement officers. Famous for being photographed together and appearing in newspapers, their pictures also ended up on most-wanted posters across the country. The FBI finally caught up with them in 1934. They were each shot to death in their car as they drove a country lane to Sailes, Louisiana. Siblings in Crime Fred and Arthur "Dock" Barker were brothers who banded together with Alvin "Creepy" Karpis to rob banks during the Great Depression. Their mother, known as Ma Barker, gained a reputation as the ring leader, though it's unclear whether she actually played a role in the family business. Based in Oklahoma, the Barker-Karpis Gang not only robbed banks, but they murdered and kidnapped, quickly catching the attention of the FBI.

Dock was arrested in 1935 and sent to Alcatraz where he was eventually shot trying to escape; his brother Freddie and their mother died after a four-hour shootout with the FBI in Florida that same year. Folk Hero Charles Arthur Floyd, better known as Pretty Boy Floyd, made a name for himself as a bank robber in Oklahoma and the Midwest. His name conjured the ideals of Robin Hood to ordinary people suffering through the Great Depression. To them, he was a folk hero; to the FBI, he was Public Enemy Number One. He robbed over 30 banks, most of them in Ohio and Oklahoma. Though implicated in a string of murders he did not commit, Floyd was guilty of shooting a bounty hunter who tried to capture him. FBI agents and local police officers shot and killed Floyd in 1934 near East Liverpool, Ohio. Over 20,000 people attended his funeral.

References 1000+ images about Gangsters_Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd on Pinterest | Pretty boy floyd, Robin hoods and Days in Forward Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd - Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd, shot and killed by FBI agents a year after the Kansas City Massacre; the Bureau insisted that he was one of the killers, but Floyd denied being one of the killers with his dying breath. See More Urban Dictionary: Pretty Boy Floyd Pretty Boy Floyd A name given to Charles Arthur Floyd, a notorious bank robber that operated during the depression-era. Pretty Boy Floyd was one of the Public Enemies during this time period, along with John Dillinger , Baby Face Nelson , Alvin Karpis ...etc. Floyd was a native of Oklahoma, where he commited his first few crimes, his first crime being the theft of $3.50 in pennies from a local post office. He was first arrested after robbing an armored truck with an accomplice, in which he was incarcerated for 3 years, during which his wife, Ruby Floyd, divored him. After serving his sentence, he attempted to find work, but to no avail, as few jobs would accept a ex-felon.

He then turned to a life of crime carried out with various accomplices, one of which was with him during his armored car robbery. After many robberies, he then reconciled with his wife and moved away with his wife and son. Close to this time is when he met George Birdwell, a fellow bank robber. With George and two women whom for one of which Floyd persued a relationship with, the Floyd gang was established. After his friend and accomplice George Birdwell was killed in an attempt to rob a bank, he then slowed down his bank robbing career, as he slowly crept up the ranks on the Public Enemy list. He was also, by many accounts, falsely accused for murdering several government agents in an attempt to free a incarcerated criminal being transported(who was ironically killed in the attempt). It is unknown if the two had worked together, but it is highly unlikely. One day, when Floyd and accomplice Adam Richetti were sitting near their car, which had broken down and they were waiting for his other two accomplices to bring help(later to find out they were apprehended), a farmer had spotted the two along the road and alerted authorities. Floyd managed to escape while Richetti was caught after a brief firefight with police.

With no transportation, as well as the inability to use roads due to police activity, Floyd was forced to retreat to the woods, where he roamed for three days before stumbling across a family's farm. The family fed him and gave him clothes, but the police discovered his location a few hours later. Seeing no other option, Floyd fled across an open field and was gunned down by agent Melvin Purvis (which later proved conflicting as to who truly shot him as many claimed different stories). Floyd's last words were, "my name is Charles...Arthur...Floyd!" after Purvis asked if he was "Pretty Boy Floyd", a name which he hated. "Pretty Boy Floyd" originated after witness's claim he looked like "a pretty boy", and the name stuck. 1000+ images about Pretty Boy Floyd on Pinterest | Wallis, Pretty boy floyd and Days in Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Pretty Boy Floyd This board is about Pretty Boy Floyd who was a bank robber. I always heard he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He was from my home town of Sallisaw, OK, and was buried in the cemetery my family is buried in, and that I will be buried in some day.

He also died on October 22 which is the day of my birth. 16 Pins89 Followers Floyd - Charles Arthur Floyd Charles Arthur Floyd Historical Sites Charles Arthur Floyd, more popularly known as Pretty Boy Floyd. Floyd is often forgotten for the likes of Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and other Depression-Era outlaws. Men and women like Floyd were born out of their circumstances. The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn ever experienced by the United States. Over a quarter of the population was unemployed, corruption and distrust ran rampant. Hunger and homeless rose to record rates. It was conditions like these that created the notorious outlaws of that time, forever romanticized. The purpose of this site is to give a balanced and truthful look at Charles Arthur Floyd, the man behind the name. Floyd Newspaper Accounts Charles Arthur Floyd also known as Pretty Boy Floyd or Choctaw (shortened to Choc) Floyd (a.k.a. The Robin Hood of Cookson Hills) was born on February 3, 1904. He was a notorious bank robber and operated mainly in the Midwest. His exploits gained heavy press in the 1930s like most outlaws of the period.

Floyd was born in Georgia, but lived mostly in Oklahoma during his childhood. He spent time in Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri. His first arrest came at the age of 18 when he stole $3.50 in coins from the local post office. Three years later he was arrested (at the age of 21) for a payroll robbery (September 16, 1925) in St. Louis, Missouri. He served five years in prison. When Floyd was paroled, he entered into partnerships with Kansas City criminals. He proceeded to rob a series of banks over the next several years. It was during this period that Floyd gained his nickname "Pretty Boy". There are three diverging accounts as to how he received this nickname. One states that prostitutes he frequented gave it to him, but the more accepted theory is that a payroll master described him to police, saying: "[he was] a mere boy, a pretty boy with apple cheeks." Another theory was that his girlfriend Beulah Baird nicknamed him. Like Baby Face Nelson, Floyd hated his nickname. Floyd took part in several robberies throughout his life and suspected in many crimes. Floyd had one son during his lifetime.

Floyd like many other outlaws of the Depression-Era was gunned down by officers. Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd | BAMF Style Steve Kanaly as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd in Dillinger (1973). Vitals Steve Kanaly as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, Depression-era bank robber Midwest U.S., Spring 1934 Release Date: July 20, 1973 Director: John Milius Costume Designer: James M. George Background Today marks what would have been the 111th birthday of Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, one of the best-known of the original “Public Enemies” that terrorized American banks during the Great Depression. The early 1930s were a prime era for American crime. Unlike the murderous gangsters whose machine gun battles littered newspaper headlines during the “roaring twenties”, many of the Depression-era desperadoes painted themselves as contemporary Robin Hoods, stealing from the banks to give to the poor. While some were genuinely psychopaths like “Baby Face” Nelson and Clyde Barrow, others like Floyd and John Dillinger were more akin to simple farm boys led astray.

Continue reading → 80 years ago today, Depression-era outlaw Charles Arthur Floyd was shot down by federal agents and local police in a farm outside East Liverpool, Ohio. Channing Tatum as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd in Public Enemies (2009). Vitals Channing Tatum as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, charismatic but violent Depression-era outlaw Clarkson, Ohio, October 1934 Release Date: July 1, 2009 Director: Michael Mann Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood Background After dedicating the majority of my life to researching the Depression-era crime wave that saw guys like John Dillinger, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, and Alvin Karpis roaming the American countryside with the support of the public and the rage of the government, I was elated when I learned that Bryan Burrough’s masterful docu-novel Public Enemies was finally being turned into a film. I wondered how a two-hour movie could capture the intricacies of each colorful individual in each of the various gangs over a two-year period, and I assumed that – like Burrough – director Michael Mann would focus primarily on Karpis, the lone survivor of the original batch of Public Enemies.

Continue reading → “Pretty Boy” Floyd’s Death in Public Enemies | BAMF Style October 22, 2014 “Pretty Boy” Floyd’s Death in Public Enemies 80 years ago today, Depression-era outlaw Charles Arthur Floyd was shot down by federal agents and local police in a farm outside East Liverpool, Ohio. Channing Tatum as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd in Public Enemies (2009). Vitals Channing Tatum as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, charismatic but violent Depression-era outlaw Clarkson, Ohio, October 1934 Release Date: July 1, 2009 Director: Michael Mann Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood Background After dedicating the majority of my life to researching the Depression-era crime wave that saw guys like John Dillinger, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, and Alvin Karpis roaming the American countryside with the support of the public and the rage of the government, I was elated when I learned that Bryan Burrough’s masterful docu-novel Public Enemies was finally being turned into a film.

I wondered how a two-hour movie could capture the intricacies of each colorful individual in each of the various gangs over a two-year period, and I assumed that – like Burrough – director Michael Mann would focus primarily on Karpis, the lone survivor of the original batch of Public Enemies. Unfortunately, the film – which would’ve best served its source material as a mini-series, in my opinion – chose to focus only on the best-known of them all, John Dillinger, with some of the era’s major players like Floyd and Karpis reduced to cameo appearances. While Floyd’s death was one of the closing moments of the FBI’s 1934 War on Crime, it is used instead to kick off the drama of the film, totally ignoring the significance of the event both for the FBI and for its ace special agent Melvin Purvis. Eighty years after his death, Floyd still hasn’t received a proper film portrayal. (Whether or not a man blamed with the death of ten men over a five year period deserves it isn’t the question.) Dillinger’s life has been portrayed countless times, with varying degrees of accuracy, beginning with Lawrence Tierney’s steel-lipped murderous performance in 1945.

Warren Oates notably played a picture-perfect Dillinger in John Milius’ 1973 film, and Johnny Depp played a more romantic vision of the outlaw in Public Enemies. “Pretty Boy” c. 1930, and his portrayer Channing Tatum eighty years later. The latter two films, Milius’s Dillinger and Mann’s Public Enemies, also portrayed Dillinger’s associates – again with varying degrees of accuracy. Milius’s film made each outlaw stand out; Geoffrey Lewis’ Harry Pierpont was the doting husband, Harry Dean Stanton’s Homer Van Meter was the cheeky jokester, John Ryan’s Charlie Makley was the weary veteran, and Richard Dreyfuss’ “Baby Face” Nelson was – true to life – the violent psychopath. In Public Enemies, each of these characters might have had a personality-establishing line or two, but they all blend into the background with Dillinger’s other associates to allow his romance with Billie to be at the forefront.

(With the exception of Stephen Graham, turning in another excellent performance as Nelson that rivals Dreyfuss’ bratty interpretation.) I was dismayed to learn that Floyd would be played by Channing Tatum. All I knew about him was that he was an ex-stripper who had done the Step Up movies and a few military meathead roles. Of course, two 21 Jump Street films later, I’m more convinced that he is a talented, self-aware actor who could have made a fine Choc Floyd if he had been allowed to expand the character beyond a single action scene. It doesn’t help that the scene itself differs far from reality. For my breakdown of events from Floyd’s death on a lonely Ohio cornfield in October 1934, check out my post from when I wrote about Kanaly in 1973’s Dillinger. In real life, Floyd had been traveling with his alcoholic partner-in-crime Adam Richetti and their girlfriends, the Baird sisters. Floyd had been dating Juanita “Beulah” Baird for a few years ever since his first arrival in Kansas City. Beulah traveled with him and was even rumored to have participated in a few bank robberies with him.

An April 1931 gunfight in Bowling Green, Ohio left her wounded with a bullet to the head. Her sister Rose had been dating Floyd’s then-partner Bill Miller, who was killed in the battle. Later, Beulah and Rose rejoined Floyd and his new partner Richetti. After Floyd and Richetti were suspected of complicity in the Kansas City Massacre on June 17, 1933, the foursome split town and headed to Buffalo, living in relative peace for more than a year. Floyd’s suspicious and restless mind began to worry, and the gang left Buffalo one cold night in mid-October 1934. Not long after they set out, Floyd grew tired at the wheel and smashed their Ford into a pole near Wellsville, Ohio. The women were dispatched to find a mechanic, and Floyd and Richetti stayed with the car and the guns. Suspicions grew around the well-dressed men keeping to themselves with their new car outside of town, so local police chief John Fultz headed to the scene armed only with his .32 revolver and two unarmed deputies. Immediately, Floyd and Richetti drew down on the lawmen.

After a brief gunfight, Floyd abandoned his Thompson submachine gun and escaped, and Richetti was in police custody. Richetti’s identification was confirmed, and the FBI was called in. Most films that I’ve seen about Floyd skip this exciting sequence of events and cut straight to – Monday, October 22, 1934. Floyd looks like a wild man, as he himself acknowledges, from living outdoors for two days trying to make his way to Youngstown, the nearest major city. His blue business suit is ragged, his white dress shirt is dirty, and his black oxfords weren’t meant for his sort of hiking. He’s been living on whatever food he can find in nature, and he’s covered in thistles by the time he emerges on the farm of widowed Ellen Conkle near Clarkson, a small town outside of East Liverpool. Mrs. Conkle, though suspicious, reverted to country hospitality and gave the dirty, well-dressed stranger some food. After declaring the ribs, potatoes, rice pudding, and pumpkin pie “fit for a king”, Floyd asked Mrs. Conkle if he could borrow the dilapidated Ford Model A he noticed in her backyard.

A few minutes later, Melvin Purvis and his team of FBI agents and local police were driving up the country road, checking for any possible sign of Floyd. Suddenly, he is spotted. The agents and policemen jump from their cars, simultaneously drawing guns and ordering Floyd to halt. Both sides of the law must have known how the day would end as Floyd kept running desperately for the trees. The order was given to fire, and the rifles, Thompsons, shotguns, and pistols blazed. A few .45-caliber shots knocked Floyd down from FBI agents McKee and Hopton’s Thompsons with an extra shot from East Liverpool cop Chester Smith’s Winchester .32-20 rifle for good measure. Floyd was now down. After fifteen minutes of questioning, during which he confirmed his identity and denied involvement in the Kansas City Massacre, Floyd emitted his last gasp and died at 4:25 p.m. … and just like that, dozens of angry girlfriends stormed out of theaters, fuming that their boyfriends dragged them to an action movie under the pretense of Channing Tatum’s starring presence in it.

Public Enemies changes things up a bit, getting the basic fact down that Purvis and a team of local FBI agents and cops shot and killed Floyd – who was wearing a blue suit – somewhere in Ohio, asking him a couple questions before he died including the confirmation of his identity. What’d He Wear? Although Floyd was certainly wearing a similar outfit as Tatum when he was killed, the film takes a few liberties that wouldn’t be unlike something the real Floyd may have worn another time. Tatum’s Floyd wears a blue wool serge suit. The blue is brighter and more vivid than the navy blue often used to described the real Floyd’s business suit, but it is ultimately too light to resemble the suit Floyd was wearing at the time of his capture. Floyd makes a final play for freedom. In real life, he did actually reach for a second .45 in his waistband after agents took away the one in his hand. Due to the camerawork and angles of the scene, Tatum’s suit jacket doesn’t get much detail exposure. The wide peak lapels have inward-slanting gorges. The single-breasted front likely has two buttons, and single-breasted jackets with peak lapels were very fashionable in the 1930s.

It is ventless with 2-button cuffs. Tatum wears a pair of matching flat front trousers with cuffed bottoms (also called “turn-ups”). When Floyd hits the ground, we see both on-seam side pockets and jetted rear pockets that close with a single button. The varying stages of Floyd’s death according to Public Enemies, portraying Purvis as more of a “supercop” than the bureaucrat he was in reality. The trousers have both belt loops and buttons inside the waistband for suspenders. Although it is typically considered a faux pas, Tatum’s Floyd wears both a belt and suspenders. The suspenders are dark blue with two light gray vertical stripes. They have silver adjuster clips and connect with black leather fasteners that button to the inside of the trousers. Tatum’s belt is rugged black leather with a small silver square buckle that pulls off to the right side. The most likely reason for Floyd’s belt is to give his heavy shoulder holster something to fasten onto. The real Floyd supposedly wore a very similar belt, and the buckle on his was inscribed with a “C”. Belts were also much more of a rural style choice around this time as suspenders were still the preference for suited gentlemen.

Born in Georgia and raised in Oklahoma, Floyd maintained his agrarian tendencies even when living in big cities like Kansas City and St. Louis. It was this comfort with nature and the outdoors that gave him an edge over other outlaws and allowed him to enjoy five years of relative freedom while committing his crimes. While we’re on the subject, Floyd wears a dark brown well-worn leather shoulder rig for his 1911 pistol in the film. It holds the pistol under his left armpit, low enough to nearly be worn on the hip. It connects around the back with a thinner dark leather strap worn down the right side of his torso and fastened to that side of the belt. In real life, Floyd merely carried his pistols in his waistband. Tatum’s Floyd wears a light cream tonal-striped shirt. It has a large spread collar, unbuttoned, with large white buttons down the front placket. The double cuffs have squared edges and are fastened with round gold disc links. Tatum’s knit tie has a black ground with a white print throughout. It is tied with a small four-in-hand knot.

As opposed to the black oxfords Floyd was reportedly wearing when he was killed, Tatum wears a pair of more utilitarian black leather combat boots that would have made a weekend of tromping through the woods much more bearable for the outlaw. They are very similar to the boots that Jimmy Darmody wore with his blue suit on Boardwalk Empire, and they send a much different message than wearing dress shoes. The boots rise high on Tatum’s calves with five eyelets and five upper lace hooks. I’m sure any fans of Magic Mike will get a kick out of this. Floyd’s black socks rise even higher than his boots, allowing the ribbing and elasticized top to peek out. Go Big or Go Home Since Public Enemies doesn’t tell us much about Floyd other than the fact that he was killed, we can look to the real Floyd for information about the life of a ’30s Public Enemy. In 1931, law enforcement officers in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio were tearing the country apart looking for Floyd, unaware that he, his son, and his wife were living quietly in Tulsa. The real Floyd was very much a product of his environment.

The first twenty years of his life were very rural, moving with his large family from Georgia to the Cookson Hills of Oklahoma at a young age where he continued working on the family farm. Before Prohibition had even started, he was involved in making illegal liquor as moonshine remains one of the oldest traditions for folks in these regions. He married a young, lively neighbor named Ruby when he was twenty (and she was sixteen) and they soon bore a son named Charles Dempsey Floyd, whom they just called Dempsey. Less than a year after Dempsey’s birth, the Floyds desperately needed money. Like many of his friends, he had dabbled in crime – most notably stealing 350 pennies from a local post office and having his father cover for him when the feds came looking – but most of his work had been legitimate manual labor. At this point, Floyd reached a crossroads. He was certainly smart enough to be successful, especially in the booming ’20s, but who would give a chance to a poor farm boy with two shirts and a starving family? Pair that with his cheeky impulsiveness and an outlaw was born.

Floyd’s first robbery, grabbing more than $11,000 from a Kruger payroll in St. Louis, was his most successful… until he was nabbed in the Cookson Hills two days later when he tried to show off his brand-new blue Studebaker. The local sheriff, naturally a family friend, begrudgingly arrested the young criminal and Floyd was sent to the Missouri state pen for a five year sentence. Though he was released in 1929, he emerged as a divorced man in an unfamiliar city. Unable to return home without money or a welcoming wife, he followed some criminal contacts from the pen to Kansas City where the easygoing Choc Floyd evolved into the bank-robbing “Pretty Boy” Floyd. Having been denied any honest work due to his prison record and now needing money more than ever as the Depression hit, Floyd became one of the most prolific bank robbers of all time. Supposedly, Oklahoma’s bank insurance rates doubled in 1931 due to Floyd’s constant harassment. His career dominated headlines for four years with a series of daring escapes, easy robberies, and deft killings. Floyd was hardly a brutal, calculating murderer, but shooting became an impulse for him when threatened.

Between 1931 and 1934, he shot his way out of any trap the police set for him; often with deadly results. Floyd’s inventory at the time of his death as reported on a receipt from Floyd’s mother to the FBI. Friends and family, especially his young son, always regarded him as the same cheerful guy who loved every minute of life, but there is no denying that he changed. Always aspiring to be better than his origins, it was the unnecessary chances he took that led to all of his mistakes. His initial arrest in 1925 was the result of the attention from his newly-purchased car. A policeman cornered him in Bowling Green when he and his associate Bill Miller were getting expensive new haircuts at a local barbershop; both the cop and Miller were killed in the ensuing gunfight. Finally, it was Floyd’s sharp appearance that made many suspicious as he lurked around the East Liverpool area the final two days of his life.

Clad in a dark navy blue subtly-striped two-piece business suit and white shirt, his excuse that he was “just going to work” didn’t jibe with the rural Chief Fultz and Floyd found himself on the run for the last time in his life. Two days after the fatal run-in with Fultz, Floyd’s effects were catalogued and hardly resemble those of a man born into poverty: 14-carat white gold double-faced cameo ring, a gift from his wife Ruby three Christmases earlier green gold octagonal Verithin Gruen pocket watch silver watch chain attached to a U.S. silver half-dollar (minted either 1928 or 1929) The watch is worth noting for the ten notches behind the crystal, each supposedly representing a life taken by Floyd. How to Get the Look While not strictly what the real Floyd was wearing when he died, Channing Tatum’s Floyd still wears a very fashionable suit for a ’30s tough guy. Maybe you’ll have better luck than he did with a suit like this.

Blue wool serge suit, consisting of: Single-breasted jacket with 2-button front, wide peak lapels, 2-button cuffs, and ventless rear Flat front trousers with belt loops, on-seam side pockets, button-through jetted rear pockets, and cuffed bottoms Light cream tonal-striped shirt with large spread collar, front placket, breast pocket, and double/French cuffs Black & white printed knit tie Gold round disc cuff links Black leather laced combat boots Black ribbed dress socks Dark brown leather shoulder holster (RHD) for 1911-type pistol The Gun(s) As I discussed in my previous “Pretty Boy” Floyd post , there remains no doubt as to what guns were in Floyd’s hands when he was killed in Ohio. The well-witnessed circumstances of his death without any sort of Dillinger-esque controversies and the very thorough FBI paperwork (in the wake of the Dillinger controversies) chronicled both of Floyd’s pistols. Both were Colt-manufactured M1911 pistols just like you’ve seen in all World War II movies. They were both blued and chambered in .45 ACP with seven rounds per magazine.

One of the M1911 pistols, pictured below, was a U.S. Army model with the serial #18001. This one was in Floyd’s hand, cocked and chambered with a fully loaded magazine. The other – the one taken from his belt after he was shot down – was a civilian version, also known as the Colt Government model, with a removed serial number. Criminals have been filing off the serial numbers from pistols ever since the first serial numbers were introduced to keep their weapons untraceable. This second Colt had an interesting customization, though, with welding on both the firing pin and the safety guard indicating a conversion to fire fully-automatic. Had Floyd actually gotten his hands on this pistol, the arresting officers would have been in considerable danger as they moved in to closer proximity. All Floyd would’ve needed was to press his finger down on the trigger for eight powerful rounds of .45 ACP to spit out the muzzle in the direction of the officers. An internal FBI memo regarding Floyd’s twin Colt 1911s, and one of the 1911s themselves on display (upper right). A contemporary photo shows Deputy Irwin holding Floyd’s discarded Thompson.

Note the Thompson’s broken foregrip and removed buttstock. The memo is from the excellent Dusty Roads of an FBI Era site. The Public Enemies version of Floyd places a nickel-plated M1911 in his holster and gives him a Thompson M1928 submachine gun as his weapon of choice when fighting back against Purvis’s men. Surely the real Floyd wished he did have such a powerful weapon at the time, but instead he only had his two semi-automatics. The Thompson carried by Tatum reflects a common outlaw customization of the era; to ease concealability and portability, gangsters often removed the buttstock from their Thompsons. As the buttstock served mainly to give policemen and soldiers stability when firing, the gangsters didn’t need it for their “spray-and-pray” massacre sensibilities. When Floyd and Richetti were first approached by Chief Fultz outside Wellsville, Floyd did indeed fire at the officers with a Thompson, and it did have a removed buttstock. However, he was forced to abandon the weapon when he went on the run after Richetti’s arrest. It was soon recovered by policemen during a general search and was found to have a broken vertical foregrip.

This same Thompson is seen above in the hands of one of Fultz’s deputies. Do Yourself a Favor and… I believe you’ve killed me, so you can go rot in hell. Footnotes After repeating viewings of both Public Enemies and 21 Jump Street, I’ve come to terms with the decision to cast Tatum as Floyd and think he’s got the chops to play the outlaw who was known to be charismatic but mercurially impulsive. I’ve mentioned in several posts on this blog that I was the writer, director, and star of a two-hour homemade film about the real “Pretty Boy” Floyd. Though some of the suits are pretty good – as my Get Carter-like pose for the DVD cover may convey – the lack of any actual budget, vintage cars, legitimate locations, or consistent cast somewhat hampered things. Still, it came together relatively nicely for a $50 budget and three years of production, so I’d like to try and post some trailers from it soon.

(Thank you, blog commenter Mohammed, for your interest!) One major source of my research on this fascinating era in American history has been Dusty Roads of an FBI Era , a well-researched site maintained by a former FBI agent that offers plenty of primary research documents from this time. The site also keeps things in perspective; while the colorful lives of the outlaws may be distracting, most were still murderous criminals who went up against brave agents that sacrificed their lives to protect others. Gangsters and G-Men - American History: The Great Depression - LibGuides at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY American History: The Great Depression American History: The Great Depression: Gangsters and G-Men Guide for Library Research on The Great Depression Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (1899 – 1947) Al Capone, also called Scarface, was a major gangster during the Prohibition era in Chicago. He was eventually prosecuted and convicted for tax evasion in 1931. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and served 8 before he was released. He died from a stroke in 1947.

John Dillinger John Dillinger (1903-1934) John Dillinger was a gangster and bank robber during the Great Depression. He was a very famous criminal whom the media delighted in writing about, usually in a sensational manner. Dillinger was famous for having escaped from jail twice, one time carving a bar of soap to look like a gun. He died in a shootout with Federal agents in Chicago in 1934 after he was identified by his escort, who wore a red dress and became kown as the woman in red. Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (1910 – 1934) and Clyde Chestnut Barrow (1909 – 1934) Bonnie and Clyde were a romantic couple who were also outlaws and theives from the area of Texas. They and their gang were particularly famous in the early 1930s and ultimately killed nine police officers and several civilians before they themselves were ambused and killed in Louisana in 1934.

"Baby Face" Nelson Lester Joseph Gillis 1908 – 1934) Also known as George Nelson, Baby Face Nelson was a bank robber and murderer during the Great Depression. He was often called "Baby Face" because he was short and looked young. His main claim to fame was his association with John Dillinger. Baby Face died in a shootout with the FBI in 1934. "Pretty Boy" Floyd Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd (1904 – 1934) Pretty Boy Floyd was a bank robber during the Great Depression and very popular with the media at the time. The public generally had a positive view of him because when he robbed banks, he would destroy mortage documents, freeing many people from their debts. He was killed in a shootout with the FBI in 1934. J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover (1895 – 1972) Hoover was the first and longest serving director of the FBI. He was appointed in 1924 to the Bureau of Investigation which in 1935 would become the Federal Bureau of Investigation and remained in control until his death in 1972.

Hoover built the FBI into a modern crime fighting force. Eliot Ness Eliot Ness (1903 – 1957) Eliot Ness was an FBI agent who achieved fame as leader of a team of law enforcement agents known as the Untouchables. He is considered to have been a driving force behind the dethroning and eventual imprisonment of Al Capone. He died of a heart attack at the age of 54. The Untouchables From 1929 to 1931 the law enforcement team led by Eliot Ness was known as the Untouchables, a nickname given to describe their incorruptiblity while they aggressively enforced Prohbition laws against Al Capone and his gangsters. Melvin Purvis Melvin Horace Purvis, Jr. (1903 – 1960) Melvin Purvis was an FBI official who led the manhunts of Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd and John Dillinger. J. Edgar Hoover was jealous of the limelight that Purvis attracted which overshadowed him and the rest of the FBI. Purvis died of a gunshot wound to the head in 1960.

The FBI ruled it a suicide. Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping In 1932 the famous aviator and isolationist Charles Lindbergh reported that his toddler son, less than 2 years old, had been kidnapped. After two months, the body of Charles Lindbergh Jr was discovered near Lindbergh's home, dead from a fracture of the skull. In 1935 Bruno Hauptmann was arrested and charged with the crime. He was convicted and executed in 1936 though he proclaimed his innocence until the end. The kidnapping was one of the most highly publicized crimes of the century. Public Enemy Era John Dillinger Wanted Poster The 1920s and 1930s were a time of rising crime, driven at first by Prohibition and then after its repeal, taking on a life of its own. The 1930s was a period of famous gangsters such as John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Ma Barker. It also became known as the Public Enemies Era when the FBI began to keep "Public Enemies" lists of wanted criminals charged with crimes.

G-Men G-Man is a slang reference to FBI agents. It stands for "Government Man" and is attributed by FBI muth to "Machine Gun" Kelly who surrendered at one point in 1933 shouting "Don't shoot, G-Men!" Ma Barker Arizona Donnie Barker (1873 – 1935) Ma Barker was the mother of many criminals who belonged to the Barker gang during the Great Depression. She was killed in a shootout in 1935 and afterwards became known as having been ruthless, controlling her sons' gang and directing their exploits. There is some dispute over whether that was true or not. Alvin "Old Creepy" Karpis Alvin Francis Karpis (1907 – 1979) Nickednamed "Creepy" because of his smile, Karpis was a prominent member of the Barker gang during the Great Depression. He served 26 years in Alcatraz, the longest time a federal prisoner spent there. He was paroled in 1968 and died in Spain in 1979. "Machine Gun" Kelly George Francis Barnes Jr.

(1900 – 1954) Machine Gun Kelly was a gangster and kidnapper during Prohibition and the early part of the Great Depression. He was nicknamed "Machine Gun" because his favorite weapon was a Thompson machine gun. He was arrested in Tennessee in 1933 and died in jail from a heart attack in 1954. Robberies - Charles Arthur Floyd Charles Arthur Floyd Historical Sites Charles Arthur Floyd, more popularly known as Pretty Boy Floyd. Floyd is often forgotten for the likes of Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and other Depression-Era outlaws. Men and women like Floyd were born out of their circumstances. The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn ever experienced by the United States. Over a quarter of the population was unemployed, corruption and distrust ran rampant. Hunger and homeless rose to record rates. It was conditions like these that created the notorious outlaws of that time, forever romanticized. The purpose of this site is to give a balanced and truthful look at Charles Arthur Floyd, the man behind the name. Robberies TOWER GROVE BANK, ST.

LOUIS, MO September 11 Accomplices: Fred Hildebrand, Joseph Hlavaty Amount: $11,929, payroll bound for Kroger Grocery & Baking Co. Notes: Floyd was arrested two days later with Hildebrand in Sallisaw, OK because of a suspiscious brand new car that Floyd had purchased. On December 8, Floyd was sentenced to 5 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City, MO after pleading GUILTY to HIGHWAY ROBBERY. 1930 FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK, SYLVANIA, OH February 5 Accomplices: James "Jim" Bradley (a.k.a. Bert Walker), Bob Amos, Nathan King, Jack Atkins Amount: About $2,000 Notes: Floyd was arrested 3 days later as a material witness for the unrelated shooting and murder of policeman Harold F. Manes by Jim Bradley. Floyd was later connected to the robbery. Floyd was booked as Frank Mitchell alias Pretty Boy Smith (#19983).

On November 24, 1930, Floyd was sentenced to 12 - 15 years at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus, OH. En-route, Floyd escaped. BANK OF EARLSBORO, EARLSBORO, OK March 9 Accomplices: Willis Miller (a.k.a. Billy the Killer), George Birdwell Amount: $3,000 MOUNT ZION DEPOSIT BANK, ELLISTON, KY April Accomplies: Willis Miller (a.k.a. Billy the Killer) Amount: $2,000 + $250 in gold Notes: Kentucky authorities believed that Floyd and Miller robbed this bank while traveling with Beulah "Juanita" and Rose Baird. WHITEHOUSE, OH Accomplices: Willis Miller (a.k.a. Billy the Killer), a driver Amount: Between $1,600 - 1,800 CITIZENS BANK OF SHAMROCK, SHAMROCK, OK August 4

Question: What was the awesome nickname of depression era bank robber Charles Arthur Floyd?
Answer: Pretty Boy